Kazuma Okamoto singled in the go-ahead run in a five-run eighth inning Wednesday night and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to defeat the visiting Boston Red Sox 6-4.
Myles Straw added a two-run double in the eighth to help the Blue Jays win the first three games of a series that ends on Thursday.
The Red Sox have lost five in a row.
Willson Contreras hit a solo homer for the Red Sox but the first baseman kept Okamoto’s at-bat alive in the eighth by dropping an easy foul popup.
Boston’s Tyron Guerrero (1-2) allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits and two walks in the eighth without recording an out.
Tyler Rogers (2-2) worked around a leadoff single in the top of the eighth to earn the win.
Louis Varland replaced Matt Waldron with out in the ninth after Caleb Durbin’s RBI single and Jarren Duran’s RBI double. Andruw Monasterio hit a sacrifice fly against Varland, who then got Nick Sogard to ground out to second to end the game and pick up his 26th save.
Toronto scored once in the second against Ranger Suarez. Okamoto doubled to left with one out and scored two batters later on Ernie Clement’s two-out single to center. It was the first earned run Suarez allowed in 23 career innings against Toronto.
Boston tied the game in the fifth when Contreras homered to left on a hanging 3-2 curve from Jose Soriano, who was making his second start for Toronto after being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels.
Toronto threatened in the bottom of the fifth after Charles McAdoo singled with one out and Brett Bateman bunted for a hit. The rally fizzled, however, when right fielder Wilyer Abreu made a sliding catch on Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s sinking liner and threw to first for a double play.
Suarez allowed one run, six hits and one walk with two strikeouts in five innings. Soriano finished with one run allowed, four hits and two walks while striking out four over six innings.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk started the home eighth with singles against Tyron Guerrero. Contreras dropped Okamoto’s simple foul ball, who took advantage of the error with a single to right and then took second on the throw home. Andres Gimenez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Clement walked to force in a run. Pinch hitter George Springer added a sacrifice fly against Alec Gamboa and Straw followed with a two-run double.
